A Pleasant Surprise
by babyviolets
Summary: Jo Jung Suk's supposedly quiet holiday break turned out to be more complicated than he expected. (1-shot JoU couple fanfic) A/N: This story was written prior to the KBS drama awards night, so forgive me for any inconsistencies.


Jo Jung Suk could not believe the situation he is in right now.

He was expecting a couple of days of relaxation, with only a few interviews lined up in his schedule while he is in Seoul for the New Year. Instead, here he was in their living room, stuck in between his mum and a girl he swore to avoid—at least until he is able to sort out his own feelings—while forced to watch a show he had no intention of watching.

"Omoni told me she'd be alone and asked me to drop by so we can watch the drama together. " Ji Eun stammered an explanation upon seeing his shocked expression when he opened the door to find her with an earful grin and a basket full of what seemed to be an assortment of pastries. The grin immediately dissipated upon seeing him though, replaced with a look of confusion, which he was sure mirrored his own.

He looked over to his right to find his mum enjoyably munching on some biscuits. Earlier she had been so irritable and insisted on staying at home when he offered to take her out for dinner. Looking at her now though, it seems that the bad mood she was in just moments ago had disappeared into thin air. Did she plan this? It seemed that way, especially since she knew that he would be home for a couple more days. Still, why she would do this was beyond him. He did not even know that both women were in contact with each other. He was only aware of them meeting twice. Once, when his mum gave him a surprise visit during the earlier filming days of their drama, and another, when he invited IU to their housewarming party. Surely, that wasn't enough time for them to become TV buddies.

The housewarming party—one of the mistakes he made when his mind was still befuddled with those unwanted emotions. Not that he's rid of them now. If anything, they've only grown in time. Normally, he can easily let go of any lingering feelings he had for a role once he's immersed himself into a new one, but somehow, he found it difficult to let go of his fondness of her despite having shred off his character in the drama long ago.

Maybe it's because he is still constantly reminded of her in every official appointment he's had for the past 4 months, not to mention how she's practically everywhere in South Korea, having just released a successful album and with this latest drama she's doing. Really, it was impossible not to be reminded of her. Every corner showed her face, every shop played her song.

In this respect, he found filming in the countryside refreshing, as he is not so bombarded there with the latest news of what or who she's currently working with, or of who she's currently kissing...

The other night's KBS event was no exception. Having her so close again after such a long time proved to be the most bittersweet of tortures, reminding him of her scent, her glow, when he's never really forgotten. Once again, he found himself having no control over his own emotions, wanting to do more than what was necessary—than what was allowed.

He tried his best to be nonchalant about it, to be the cool Oppa who clearly understands the things he can't have, but by the end of the night, he was still left with a hole in his chest big enough to fit more than just that empty seat beside him.

"Oh, it's starting!" His mum exclaimed as she shifted to the edge of the sofa in excitement.

"I didn't know you liked this drama that much." He huffed, somewhat uneasy at his mum's eagerness. Was she that taken with the Asian prince? Will all females react the same way, especially once they get to work with him? Somehow, that thought managed to put him into an even damper mood.

"Oh, I don't care for the plot so much, but I love watching uri Ji Eunie act."

He found himself holding his breath at his mum's response. Reflexively, his eyes darted to his other side—to where Ji Eun was—and noticed her flinch at his stare. "Gamsahamnida Omoni." She said as she gave a slight bow to his mother's direction.

He knew he was making her uncomfortable by staring at her, and yet he can't take his eyes off her. This is usually the case. Once he catches a sight of her, he always seems to find it difficult to let go. Every so often he would end up getting lost in something about her—her button nose, the lashes of her doe eyes, or the mole on her left cheek. Today it was her hair, and how despite having already seen it numerous times, still seemed new and different to him from the one he tangled his hands with, and he couldn't help but wonder if it would feel different too—if the curls at the ends would make it feel softer and fuller in his hands.

He should get a hold of himself. Here he was—a full-grown man—having adolescent thoughts towards a girl who could very well pass as his niece, while his mother is right by his side. He forcefully turned his gaze back to his mother who was occupying most of the space of their supposedly 4-seater couch, forcing him to squeeze himself with Ji Eun in one side. She insisted that they sit in the same couch too, despite having more than enough seating options, with the justification that the couch was the best place in the living room to watch TV. Indeed, she was going beyond what was considered subtle.

Suddenly, his mum stood up, which in turn jolted both him and Ji Eun off their seats. "Where are you going? The show just started." he stammered, feeling like a little kid at each passing minute.

"Does the show starting have anything to do with my bladder?" his mother snapped at him as she left for the toilet.

Both stole glances at each other as they resumed their seats, not bothering to shift their position to a more comfortable one now that his mum was not hogging most of the couch. Neither chose to start a conversation though, and for a while, only the sound from the TV and Rakku's whimpered breaths can be heard. He tried to focus on the drama, but found his mind rejecting everything about it.

"You hair—I've been meaning to tell you but I never got the chance—it looks good on you." He wanted to go for a more intelligent conversation starter, but that was all he could come up with.

"Cincha? I was worried it might make me look too young."

"Oh no, it doesn't. I mean it doesn't make you look old, it just makes you look…pretty." He cringed at his own ineloquence. His mum may not be around now but that still did not give him permission to act like a teenager. He went on berating himself, until he noticed the faint smile that escaped Ji Eun's lips.

_God, I miss those lips!_

The thought made him get up from his seat, and in one fluid motion, he crossed the big living room to the ottoman where Rakku was lying down. "C'mere girl. " He murmured as he gathered the resting dog into his arms in an effort to distract himself from his own thoughts.

Unfortunately, Ji Eun didn't seem to read how dangerous the situation was for her, and followed him to where Rakku was. She knelt right in front of the ottoman and faced him as Rakku burrowed her head deep into his chest. "Kyeopta."

"You want to hold her?"

"Can I?"

He slowly eased Rakku's head away from him and handed the dog to her. Initially, Rakku struggled, but as soon as she was in Ji Eun's arms, Rakku started to relax and settled in nesting her head in on Ji Eun's shoulders. "Johayo…"

She looked up, startled, and it took him some time to realize what he just said. "I-I meant the dog." He stammered an excuse, swallowed hard, and prayed to God she believed it.

"You think so? Well, I like her too!" She said while flashing him one of her sweet smiles before she returned her attention to the dog, brushing her fur with her fingers as the dog nuzzled further into the hollow of her collarbone. "She's so warm, just like you."

Once again, the need to touch her overwhelmed him, but this time, he didn't even have the strength to stay away. Instead, he joined her in stroking the dog in her arms.

"Ah Oppa, your hand…"

Ji Eun carefully settled the dog back into the ottoman, who reacted with a light whimper, and reached out for his left hand. "You're hurt." She said as her fingers ran over the blisters at the back of his palm.

"Oh, this is nothing. I simply grazed myself during sparring session." He replied absent-mindedly, as he wallowed himself in the feel of her hands over his.

Her hands. They were soft, yet strong, and you can feel the toughened skin right at her fingertips—a result of her diligence in practicing the guitar. Her hands alone embody her whole being—someone who seemed soft and frail, but is actually strong and determined. This woman is by no means a princess. She was someone real.

She started to withdraw her hand from his, but he caught it at her surprise. "Mian." He said in haste, trying to find a reason to maintain the skinship. "I mean, you're already busy as it is, and here you are having to deal with my mom's illogical requests on your precious free time."

"Oh, I don't mind. I like your mom. When I see her, I see where your warmth comes from. Plus, she tells such funny stories of you when you were still young!" and she laughed hard at her own revelation, but all he could notice was how she didn't pull her hand away from his. He tightened his grip of her hand, and she stopped laughing, but she didn't let go.

"Jieuna…"

"Ne Oppa?"

There was so much that he wanted to say, so much that he wanted to tell her, but he could not find the right words to begin. Telling her he loved her seemed too cliché, and it didn't seem enough. His feelings alone won't be able to resolve anything. It might even make things more difficult for her. But now, holding her like this, he realized his problem was not that he couldn't let her go. It was that he didn't want to, never wanted to. "Do you trust me?"

She looked at him right in the eye, as if drinking him in, and he didn't flinch. Despite all the questions still hovering in his mind, the decision he made just now somehow made everything seem clearer, and he finally understood what he needed to do.

Another smile escaped her lips. "Ne, Oppa."

"Then tomorrow, will you meet me tomorrow?"

Another smile. Another treasure to keep.

"Sorry, I took so long. How did it go so far?"

The sound of his mother's voice suddenly jerked him back to the present, and he hastily let go of Ji Eun's hand and turned away in an attempt to hide his flustered face. Why did his mother have to reappear in the most crucial moment!

He was still thinking up an excuse to give when he heard Ji Eun sigh beside him.

"Well, he's still being all goofy and stubborn about it, but I think we made great progress Omoni!"

"See, I told you nothing will ever happen if you leave him on his own. Men are always like that, they always, always need a little push. I had the same problem with his father as well!"

"Don't worry Omoni, I know how to be very persistent. One of the things I learned from becoming Bo Tong!"

He turned around to see his mother and Ji Eun smiling smugly at each other. "Did you guys…plan this?"

He took time to gaze at both of them as they shifted their attention to him, first at Ji Eun who was smiling sheepishly, then to his mother who was sporting a rather indignant smug, obviously because of how successfully they had just played him.

Somehow, he's never been so proud.


End file.
